CHAPTER 027
The carriage interior was dim, but with the light coming in from the window, it was still possible to see each other’s features clearly.
Lu Yuner, aware of the awkwardness, immediately straightened up and put some distance between them before sitting down. She politely asked, “Did you hurt yourself just now, Little Prince Su?”
He had definitely bumped into something, though it wasn’t painful—except for that particular spot.
Su Qingwan, feeling shy, initially wanted to say he wasn’t hurt, but upon noticing Lu Yuner’s deliberate distancing, he suddenly changed his mind. “Yes, I hit the back of my head,” he said, raising his hand to rub it, his tone especially pitiful. “It feels hot, and it’s a bit painful. I wonder if it’ll swell? Sister Yuner, could you rub it for me?”
Lu Yuner had long since seen through Su Qingwan. This was the carriage from Prince Yun’s manor, and when she had placed her hands down earlier, she could feel that the interior was made of the finest materials, so it was unlikely to cause any real harm.
Whether or not the back of his head actually hurt depended on whether he wanted to play the victim.
Her voice turned cold. “Little Prince Su, your hands are perfectly fine; there’s no need for me to assist. Perhaps you should wait until you return home and apply some ointment.”
Su Qingwan looked at Lu Yuner with innocent eyes. “I don’t care. Since I got hurt because of Sister Yuner, you have to take responsibility.” As he said this, he moved closer to Lu Yuner, lowering his head to show the back of his head, signaling that she should rub it for him.
Lu Yuner remained seated, unmoved, but her gaze lingered on the smooth, full curve of his head.
Indeed, even the head of a beautiful person has pleasing lines.
After a while…
Su Qingwan, keeping his head lowered, began to feel truly uncomfortable. Biting his lip, he said, “If Sister Yuner doesn’t rub it for me, I’ll keep my head down and won’t get up.”
Lu Yuner: "..." So he was determined to cling to her.
Seeing how uncomfortable he looked with his head down, Lu Yuner’s expression grew complex. She turned her head away, trying to avoid looking at him, but her hand inside her sleeve tightened slightly.
She thought that after he got tired, Little Prince Su would give up.
After another while…
Su Qingwan, with his delicate skin, couldn’t endure the pain in his neck and finally began to cry softly, but he stubbornly refused to lift his head.
Chen Si seemed to hear the sounds inside the carriage and sighed softly, shaking her head helplessly. This little prince was wonderful in every way, except that he was too persistent. Otherwise, he wouldn’t still be unable to forgive Prince Yun, even after all these years since their lord’s passing.
“Little Prince Su, why do this to yourself?” Lu Yuner, hearing his sobs, felt her heart soften. She couldn’t continue to ignore him and decided to step out of the carriage.
Su Qingwan, noticing from the corner of his eye that she was about to stand up, saw his watery eyes suddenly lose their sparkle. He began crying even louder, making Lu Yuner turn back to look at him. Seeing his stiff body start to sway, he suddenly leaned forward. Lu Yuner instinctively reached out to support him.
Su Qingwan’s eyelashes fluttered with emotion, sensing that Lu Yuner would soften her stance. Taking advantage of this, he leaned onto her lap, looking pitiful. “Sister Yuner, my neck is stiff and hurts now. Can I rest on your lap for a bit? Just for a little while.”
Having kept his head down for so long, his neck was naturally sore.
Lu Yuner looked down at him, lying face down on her lap, revealing the pale, beautiful nape of his neck like a small, needy puppy, obediently resting in her arms.
Having just convinced Prince Yun, the weight in her heart had lightened by half. Now, the only thing troubling her was this little prince.
It was time to bring this to an end.
“Little Prince Su, why do you like me?” Lu Yuner lowered her gaze and asked calmly.
Why do I like Sister Yuner? He had never really thought about that before. Su Qingwan’s mind filled with memories of his time with Sister Yuner, and he smiled sweetly, responding in a gentle tone, “I don’t know. I just like everything about Sister Yuner.”
Lu Yuner’s lips curled into a half-smile. This little prince was clearly a hopeless romantic.
But the next moment, her eyelids fluttered slightly, and she asked thoughtfully, “Little Prince Su, haven’t you always been curious why I don’t like you? Then I’ll tell you today—what if I were half-human, half-ghost?”
“Half-human, half-ghost?” Su Qingwan suddenly sat up, wide-eyed, looking at her.
“That’s right. I know that humans and ghosts are meant to be apart. If we were together, it would go against the natural order. Besides, if I were half-human, half-ghost…” Lu Yuner saw the shock and fear flicker in his eyes.
Her expression darkened as she leaned closer to Su Qingwan, her face serious as never before, and she spoke slowly, enunciating each word, “Little Prince Su, wouldn’t you be afraid that I’d steal your soul, capture your spirit, eat your flesh, and drink your blood?”
Her tone was calm, devoid of emotion, but it was much lower than usual.
Still in a state of shock and unable to process what had just been said, Su Qingwan was caught off guard when Lu Yuner suddenly leaned in. They were now face-to-face, so close their breaths mingled.
Su Qingwan’s mind went blank, overwhelmed not only by her words but also by the heat of her breath against his skin, causing his heart to race. His pale ears turned a deep red, and his intoxicating peach-blossom eyes seemed to hold a hypnotic power, making Su Qingwan feel increasingly uneasy and shy.
Due to the sudden movement after keeping his head down for so long, Su Qingwan felt a bit dizzy and stumbled backward.
But to Lu Yuner, his reaction took on a different meaning. She blinked, masking her complex emotions, and then pulled back, returning to her original seated position.
She hadn’t expected that a casual, playful remark would actually frighten him. Truth be told, anyone would be startled by such a strange and supernatural claim.
Especially someone as sheltered and inexperienced as Little Prince Su.
Lu Yuner’s eyebrows arched slightly, her gaze briefly revealing a hint of an unreadable expression before she smiled and said, “Just a joke—look how scared you got, Little Prince Su!”
Su Qingwan was stunned. A joke!? Really?
Though her tone was light and teasing, why did her serious gaze seem so genuine?
Su Qingwan had to admit that the moment Sister Yuner said those words, he was indeed startled. But this wasn’t a fear born of terror; it was more a confusion—a sense of something strange.
He had read many folk tales, including a few eerie and strange stories out of curiosity back in the day, and didn’t find them particularly frightening. If there truly were spirits or ghosts, he wished he could see his father one more time…
“I… I…” Su Qingwan looked up blankly, trying to explain, but he didn’t know what to say.
At that moment, the carriage suddenly stopped, and a familiar voice sounded.
“My Lord, you’re back.” Qiuyi was standing at the gate of the residence, looking at the familiar carriage, feeling particularly excited.
Lu Yun’er’s gaze deepened, and her tone turned cold. “In any case, I am not a good match for the Young Scholar. When affection goes unreciprocated, one must learn to cut their losses in time. If you fall too deeply, you’ll only hurt yourself. So, I ask the Young Scholar not to pursue me any further.”
With those words, Lu Yun’er lifted the curtain and stepped out of the carriage. She thanked the steward, Chen, before entering the residence.
Butler Chen glanced at the carriage and noticed that the young scholar hadn’t shown his face. Unsure of what had happened inside, he approached the carriage with concern and asked, “Young Scholar, are you alright?”
A voice came from inside the carriage, noticeably choked with tears. “Aunt Chen, I’m fine. Let’s go home.”
Hearing this, Chen Si's face filled with worry. It seemed that the Prince's plan was correct. When he discovered that the Young Scholar intended to escort Lu Yun’er back home, the Prince hadn’t intervened, intending to let the Young Scholar retreat on his own.
It turned out that although Lu Yun’er appeared gentle, she was decisive and merciless when it came to serious matters, like playing a strategic game.
To be honest, Lu Yun’er was a good woman. It was a pity they were not destined to be together. As she said, mutual affection is important for a good marriage; forcing it won’t bring happiness. The Prince didn't want to impose on anyone.
At this point, the Young Scholar should let go of his feelings.
Su Qingwan, now pitiful as a small, dejected puppy, sat slumped in the carriage, trembling uncontrollably. Large teardrops fell onto his lap as he buried his face in his knees, hugging himself tightly. He struggled to hold back his sobs, whimpering softly.
The night was as cool as water, and the moonlight as pale as frost. Chen Si drove the carriage back to the Prince’s residence.
At the Lu Residence.
Qiuyi instructed a few servants to prepare hot water. She dipped her fingers into the water to test the temperature, frowning slightly. After adjusting it to a comfortable warmth, she smiled with satisfaction. Today had been hard on her lord; now she could enjoy a relaxing hot bath.
She then looked at her lord, who was sitting silently in the round chair, with a faint sadness between her brows. Leaning on the table with one hand supporting her chin, she stared blankly out the window.
Qiuyi felt something was off. Since returning from the Prince’s residence, her lord seemed to be preoccupied. She gently called out, “My Lord, the bath is ready.”
“Mm.”
Lu Yun’er snapped back to reality, retracted her gaze, and got up to walk behind the painted folding screen. She gracefully extended her slender arms, allowing Qiuyi to assist her.
Lu Yun’er didn’t mind being attended to during her bath. Although she was a typical Southerner, shy and reserved, she had studied in the North during her university years, often visiting public bathhouses, so she became used to being open.
As the last piece of her white inner garment was removed, her smooth, jade-like naked body was revealed, blooming like a delicate flower with curves that were graceful and alluring. A true natural beauty.
Having served her for many years, Qiuyi still couldn’t help but shyly look away each time, thinking to herself that some lucky young man would benefit from this one day.
There was no denying it—her lord was always beautiful, no matter the situation.
Lu Yun’er slowly stepped into the steam-filled bath, accompanied by the soft sound of water splashing. The warm water enveloped her smooth skin, like a lotus emerging from clear water, naturally graceful and unadorned.
She leaned back against the edge, immersing her body in the water, letting out a soft, contented sigh.
Indeed, soaking in a hot bath soothed both body and mind, a great way to relax.
She had heard that there was a hot spring resort in the southern suburbs of the capital. Perhaps she would invite her two sisters to visit when she had some free time.
Lu Yun’er shifted her position, slowly leaning against the edge of the tub with her eyes closed, resting. She softly said, “Qiuyi, if you have any questions, just ask.”
Since entering the residence, Qiuyi’s curiosity had been written all over her face.
Qiuyi could no longer hold back, voicing all the questions she had been holding in. “My Lord, how did you and the Young Scholar first meet?”
Lu Yun’er then recounted the events that had transpired, choosing to omit certain details.
After a while.
“Oh~~~ So that’s how it happened! So, My Lord, you are the Young Scholar’s savior,” Qiuyi exclaimed in surprise. Suddenly, a realization struck her. She widened her eyes in disbelief and asked, her voice trembling slightly, “My Lord, could it be… that the Young Scholar… likes you?”
After hearing what her lord said and recalling the strange, bashful expression on the Young Scholar’s face when he escorted her home while drunk, along with today's unexpected invitation to the Prince’s residence, Qiuyi now understood. When the steward was speaking with her lord, he kept glancing at the carriage. At the time, she found it odd, but now she realized—there was someone else in that carriage!
Could it have been the Young Scholar?
“Mm.” Lu Yun’er replied calmly, as expected, guessing that Qiuyi’s eyes were now as wide as saucers. She had thought this matter would pass quietly, so she hadn’t mentioned it to Qiuyi.
But after all that had happened, there was no need to keep it a secret any longer.
Qiuyi felt a pang of sorrow as she said in an aggrieved tone, “My Lord, you’ve kept this from me for so long?” As she spoke, a sense of sadness welled up within her, and she asked, her voice low, “My Lord, have you always… seen me as an outsider? I know I’m clumsy and not very bright, and I often make you unhappy…”
Author’s Note:
Su Qingwan’s one-sided affection has ended. Now begins the journey of slowly capturing Lu Yun’er’s heart.
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